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11/25/2003 Minutes I I I OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS CITY OF GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKA MINUTES OF CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION November 25,2003 Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, a Study Session of the City Council of the City of Grand Island, Nebraska was conducted in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 100 East First Street, on November 25, 2003. Notice of the meeting was given in the Grand Island Independent on November 19,2003. Mayor Jay Vavricek called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. The following members were present: Councilmembers Meyer, Whitesides, Pielstick, Gilbert, Nickerson, Cornelius, Pauly, Hornady, Walker, and Haase. The following City Officials were present: Interim City Administrator David Springer, City Clerk RaNae Edwards, City Attorney Doug Walker and Public Works Director Steve Riehle. Mayor Communication: Mayor Vavricek commented on the death of Howard Peterson, former Grand Island Mayor and State Senator and the fact that the city observed this by flying the city flags at half staff and a moment of silence yesterday. Also mentioned was the search of the City Administrator position with an offer being made to one of the candidates in hopes of receiving an answer by tomorrow. Recognition of Grand Island Northwest Volleyball Team for Class B State Championship. The Mayor and City Council recognized the Grand Island Northwest Girls Volleyball Team for their State Championship in Class B Volleyball. Coach Diane Rouzee, Assistant Coach Ms. Purdee and the Grand Island Northwest Girls Volleyball Team were present to receive the recognition certificate. Update on the Heartland Events Center Campaign. Philip Geissal, Resident Director of Fund Raising for the Heartland Events Center Campaign gave the Mayor and Council an update on the Heartland Events Center campaign. Mr. Geissal stated they were moving towards their final goal of $35 million. Currently 55 volunteers were working with current and previous contributors to encourage further contributions towards this campaign. Forty-five foundations had been contacted and ads were being published. The community portion of the campaign would begin in mid-December. Currently there was $30.5 million collected for the events center. Discussed were the problems of the arena in Kearney. Mr. Geissal stated this events center would be opened with no debt service. Mayor Vavricek commented on this being the largest fund raising campaign ever undertaken in the City of Grand Island. Discussion Concerning Residency Requirements for Members of Municipal Boards. Doug Walker, City Attorney reported that it had recently come to the attention of City Officials that there was a member of the Library Board and a member of the Community Development Advisory Board that lived outside of the city limits. I I I Page 2, City Council Study Session, November 25, 2003 The membership requirements for these two boards were being brought up for discussion in conjunction with the CRA Board membership that was recently addressed by the City Council at its November 18th meeting. Grand Island City Code Section 19-3 required that the Mayor appoint a seven member Library Board. The members were to be chosen from "the Citizens at large". Mr. Walker believed that this ordinance implied that membership was restricted to residents of the City; however this language was somewhat ambiguous. Grand Island City code section 2-61 required the appointment of a Community Development Advisory Committee. Six of the members were to be "representatives of the citizens of Grand Island" and a seventh member was to be a member of the City Council. The wording on this ordinance implied that its members were to be residents of the City: however, there was also ambiguity with the way this ordinance was worded as well. Mr. Walker stated the language in these ordinances was being brought up for discussion at this time to determine if the Council was interested in making revisions to each ordinance that would clarify whether membership on these municipal boards was to be restricted to residents of the City of Grand Island Councilmember Pielstick asked how much the county supported the Library, of which Library Director Steve Fosselman stated around $70,000. She stated she did not have a problem with having the language of the Library board to include the 2 mile jurisdiction, but with the Community Development Advisory Committee she felt it should be residents of Grand Island. Councilmember Whitesides supported making all boards consistent and the board members be required to be residents of Grand Island with those people serving on those boards that were not residents being able to finish out their term. City Attorney Doug Walker stated that if this change was to be made it would require that those persons not within the city limits would have to be replaced as was done with the CRA board last week. Reviewed were those boards that had residency requirements. Joe Cook, 403 Ponderosa Drive, President of the Library Board explained the seven member board and what they do. Discussion was held with regards to representatives from Hall County. Jeri Garroutte, Community Development Director explained the Community Development Advisory Boards responsibility and that they do administer grants funds for Hall County. Councilmember Cornelius suggested that this issue be further studied and be brought back to council. Councilmember Pielstick asked that the Mayor require staff to make the changes to City Code for these two boards that would require residents of Grand Island be appointed to these boards and be brought back to council at the next regular meeting. After further discussion and no consensus from the Council, Mayor Vavricek stated these ordinances would be brought back to the December 9, 2003 City Council meeting with the wording requiring residency for these boards. Council could then either approve or deny the ordinances at that time. I I I Page 3, City Council Study Session, November 25,2003 Discussion Regarding Traffic Safety on Second Street from Grant Street to Greenwich Avenue. Steve Riehle, Public Works Director reported that the Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR) had a widening project on the board for this section of Second Street (US Highway 30) since the 1970's. The project was currently scheduled for construction in 2007. The Transportation and Safety Sub-Committees of the Comprehensive Plan Update Committee both listed traffic safety on Second Street as one of their concerns. Presented were details regarding accident history on this segment of roadway, measures that had been used to improve safety, suggestions to improve safety for the next few years till the roadway was re-built, and safety features that would be included in the NDOR's project. The following problems were listed on Second Street: Accident counts were high Drive up window traffic backs up onto highway plugging outside lanes Left turning vehicles plug inside lanes Too many entrance and exit points offhighway Pedestrians find it difficult to cross Traffic waiting for trains backs up to 2nd Street 2nd & Broadwell intersection is very busy The following next steps were suggested: Work with businesses Educate customers Study driveway locations Signal Warrants Not close at 2nd & Lincoln Driveway changes at 2nd & Jefferson could raise warrants Continue to monitor and patrol Discussion was held with regards to looking at traffic on Stolley Park Road that would affect 2nd Street and making no left hand turns on 2nd Street in certain areas. Discussion Concerning the Library Expansion. Library Board President Joe Cook and Library Director Steve Fosselman presented an annual Future Community Library Requirements update. The report covered past planning and community studies for an expanded facility in effect since 1997; descriptions of past and present uses of the current facility as well as future needs that could be addressed through a planned expansion; and broad planning considerations necessary at this time to move this project ahead. A power point presentation was presented to the Mayor and City Council to show the changes that had taken place at the library due to growth in the usage of the library. Mr. Cook stated that a one time expansion of 50,000 square feet was being recommended. Also presented was extra parking, 2nd Street turning lane, branch libraries, cost projections in the amount of $7.3 million, and funding considerations. Jerry Bryant, Library Board member discussed the impossibility of building a second story and that the location of the current library was central to the city and a perfect location. Discussed I I I Page 4, City Council Study Session, November 25, 2003 was a branch library in the northwest part of Grand Island associated with the schools which would be looked into in the future. Interim City Administrator David Springer stated this project was targeted for the Fiscal Year 2006-2007. Also mentioned was the Public Works Department project on 2nd Street which was also scheduled for 2006-2007, of which a half cent sales tax could be used. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m. Respectfully submitted, R~ffi~ RaN ae Edwards City Clerk